Confessions
by alishmagna
Summary: She kissed him! He kissed her back! The red hot wrath flashed once again before Akito’s eyes. He would not allow it. He was in control of this family. Nothing would happen without his consent. REVISED
1. Pickles and Punishment

OK! this is Alishmagna, I've revised the story and crammed it all into 5 chapters. There's not really any big differences between this version and the original except for maybe a few added sentences here and there. But for all of you who like long chapters, this is for you.

XXXX

Kyou Sohma stood in the kitchen of the house he shared with his cousins ... and her. He was watching her prepare their supper like always. It seemed she was part of that kitchen now, it never seemed quite right without her in it. Thinking back, Kyou realized that nothing seemed quite right without her. She was like the dew that washed away all the filth from his life.

_"Should I tell her?"_ Kyou thought silently. _"Does she feel the way I do about her?"_

This was something he thought of constantly. He tried to find a way to say the things he had in his heart a hundred times a day but he could never find the words to express this strange feeling.

"Hello Kyou-kun... are you feeling alright today? You seem lost in your thoughts"

Her voice entered his mind suddenly. He was caught of guard and didn't know what to say.

"Kyou?"

"Ummm. What are you planning on sooking for cupper?" He spewed forth before he realized what he was saying.

That familiar look of confusion appeared on her face for a moment. She started to giggle "Well...

I was thinking of making..."

_"Dammit! What the hell is wrong with me?" _Kyou thought angrily _"What are you looking for cupper? Now she thinks I'm a complete Dumbass!" _

"...But I need to pick up some chicken, rice..."

_"UGH! Say something fast before she thinks you are complete retard."_

"Soy sauce, and-"

"I love you!"

"Pickles"

_"What? Did she not hear me? AHHHH WHAT DO I DO?" _Kyou thought as his head was about to implode.

Giving into his impulses he roughly grabbed Tohru's shoulders and planted a kiss on her half opened mouth.

It was not his first kiss, and he was very sure it was not his greatest. It was awkward and uncomfortable; like kissing a sister. It just felt wrong. He could tell that she felt the same way by her response. She stiffened up and didn't know how to break the kiss without hurting him.

Kyou's mouth left hers almost as suddenly as he placed it there. He saw her face and regretted everything. Her expression was a combination of confusion and surprise.

"I'm sorry!" Kyou yelled.

What was wrong with him? This feeling, it was love; he knew it in the depths of his soul but... what kind of love? Was this sweet feeling mere friendship? No, there was nothing "mere" about their friendship. It was true friendship. She was his first true friend and he ruined it by jumping to conclusions.

"Yuki-kun?" Tohru whispered.

Kyou turned around to see a look of sadness and disbelief in those unforgettable violet eyes.

"Yuki-kun!" She tried to explain but it was too late, he had already ran out the door

Yuki Sohma heard Tohru call his name as he ran from the kitchen. _"It's too late"_ he thought as he entered the forest surrounding the small house.

_"You are disgusting! No one will ever want to be around you!"_

Akito's words swam through the boy's mind.

_"He's right you know" _Kyou's voice joined in, _"You can never belong with other people. You are Cursed."_

"But you are too!" Yuki cried out desperately to someone who wasn't even there.

_"You said yourself that I'm different. I can never belong to the Sohmas because of what I am. But she accepts me for who I am. That is something you will never have."_

_"But Honda-san accepts me too!"_ Yuki replied in his head.

_"Oh really?"_ Kyou's voice was full of sarcasm and loathing, _"Then why was it me in the kitchen with her and not Prince Charming?"_

"You're right" he whispered aloud when he realized where his subconscious had led him.

XXXX

"Yuki-kun!" Tohru cried out when she was him run out of the house.

Kyou tried to hold her back and accidentally embraced her. A puff of smoke engulfed the kitchen and left a bewildered girl, a pile of clothes and a small orange cat in its passing.

"AH! Oh my goodness. Kyou-kun! I am so sorry!"

"Stop apologizing!" The cat shouted.

Immediately the girl was silent. Kyou, seeing Tohru's urge to run after the gray haired young man decided to keep the talking to a minimum.

"Go," He said, with a faint head nod to indicated the direction Yuki headed. "I know how you feel about me, and I know how you feel about him. I realized just now that I don't love you the way I thought I did before I uhhh..."

"But Yuki-kun doesn't love me the way I love him..."

"Don't be a fool." Bowing out gracefully seemed like the best thing to do. "At least... you'll be with someone who loves you the way I thought I did."

Tohru placed a small kiss on the cat's forehead and ran out the door. She heard Yuki cry out something and followed after. She ran though those woods swiftly, afraid that she might lose him. Branches sprang out at her from all directions, tearing her clothes and ensnaring themselves in her hair. Finally she caught sight of him and tried to call out but the words died in her throat when she saw where she was.

Akito Sohma stepped out of the Sohma House gate and went to greet the frightened boy. A small exchange of words occurred and Yuki was lead into the ominous building.

XXXX

Yuki looked around at the ominous surroundings. _"Why am I here?" _He thought as he remembered his childhood imprisonment on these grounds. Suddenly Akito appeared as if he had been expecting him.

"Isn't this a pleasant surprise?" Akito's cold voice echoed through Yuki's mind.

"Akito..."

"Yuki, I think it is time you and I had one of our special talks. I would like to discuss this Tohru Honda of yours."

Immediately Yuki froze, if he didn't comply, Honda-san might be injured because of Akito's temper. But memories from his childhood flooded in and made him hesitate for a moment.

"... Yes."

There really was no contest between the choices. He would rather die than see Honda-san get hurt, especially if it was because of him. He valued her more than life itself and would willingly endure anything Akito could do to him if it meant her safety.

Yuki followed Akito into the house, past the rich paintings and expensive furniture. Yuki's blood ran cold when he realized where Akito was taking him to. It was the little room at the end of the hall. It was the little room where Yuki had faced countless beatings at the hands of Akito.

His pace started to slow and a sadistic smile appeared at the corner of Akito's mouth. "I really have missed your visits Yuki. It would be best if you could find more time for me in the future."

"... I have tried but with student council, and everything going on at school-"

A firm slap silenced Yuki. Terror crept into his violet eyes.

"You know that is not the problem. I am tired of your excuses. I allowed Tohru Honda to stay with you and how do you thank me? By skipping New Years and never coming home!"

Akito's rage was burning hot and Yuki was at the receiving end. He pushed the boy through the door to the room and watched in sick pleasure as Yuki relived everything that had happened there before.

"Please Akito!" Yuki cried as he backed into a corner.

"Please?" He asked incredulously. "How DARE you ask more of me after all I have given to you!"

Akito strolled over to a small table, the only piece of furniture in the room. On the table was a vase and a long willow switch that must have been quite old, it was no longer green and a small layer of dust covered it and the table. Akito grabbed it and held it like a lover.

Akito smiled when he saw Yuki's beautiful face contorted with fear. With a firm shove he sent Yuki to the floor.

"I see how you look at her Yuki," Hearing Akito utter his name sent an icy chill down his spine. "And I see her return your coy glances. This family belongs to me. YOU belong to me Yuki. Nothing happens unless I allow it. If I can't make you see that now then maybe we should invite your Honda-san to your special little room."

"NO!" Yuki was surprise when he heard this word escape his lips. He had never said no to Akito before, but he had never been more afraid, not for himself, but for Tohru.

"No?" Akito's voice was strangely calm and quiet.

Yuki remained silent.

"NO?" Akito's voice could not be controlled anymore. "YOU HAVE THE GALL TO REFUSE ME?"

Akito struck out at Yuki with the willow branch. White hot pain surged through Yuki's body. _"What should I do?" _Yuki thought as he silently endured each blow._ "It is different from before. I was a child then. I am a match for Akito now. But if I strike back what will he do to Tohru when he recovers?"_

Yuki's soft blue shirt tore. Faint traces of blood appeared on the branch but Akito continued his rampage.

Yuki could not bring himself to strike his tormenter. He did not wish to try and fathom the horrid things Akito would do to Tohru if he did. Her smiling face flashed before his eyes as the pain overwhelmed him and the darkness swallowed his thoughts.

Seeing that Yuki had passed out, Akito dropped the switch and wiped Yuki's blood off of his hands. He decided he would finish their "talk" when Yuki could feel pain again. Locking the door behind him Akito left the room. He sauntered over to the window where he liked to spend his days. Immediately he saw Tohru Honda searching the grounds for a trace of the handsome young man who now lay unconscious only a few feet away.

Tohru looked up and saw a disturbing smile on Akito's face.

"Hello Tohru-san"

The young woman's skin crawled when she heard Akito say her name. It was soft, but there was something lurking behind those dark eyes of his that made her shudder. Tohru wondered what became of Yuki. She saw him come in here with Akito. True, it did take her a while to work up the nerve to enter the grounds and it took her longer to arrive outside this window. _"But Akito wouldn't let Yuki out of his sight if he was on the grounds... so where could he be?"_ Tohru thought.

"Please come in," Akito implored, "I'm sure you are searching for Yuki."

Fear streaked through her thoughts now. That sarcastic tone in his voice must mean something. That strange fire in his eyes must be a sign. _"WHERE IS HE?"_ A voice screamed in her head.

Tohru remembered something Hatsuharu told her. It was after the day that Akito appeared at their school. Tohru asked why Yuki was so afraid of him.

"_Akito has strange feelings for Yuki." Haru explained, "He wants him all for himself. When he was a child, Akito would lock him in a small room and beat him when he did something bad. It was horrible to hear his cries in the night. Sometimes Rin and I would steal away to see him."_

_He continued to describe the terrors of Yuki's childhood. Tohru was horrified by this tale, but curious for more information she asked, "If Akito didn't want to share Yuki with the rest of the world, then why did he agree to let him live with Shigure-san?"_

_Haru sighed, this was obviously very painful for him, "Akito was adamant about keeping Yuki at the house, but he finally consented after I... convinced him that it was best for Yuki."_

_Tohru could tell he was not being completely truthful about the last part but decided not to push it. He was already telling her things Yuki wouldn't want her to know._

Tohru's fear grew when she entered the house. _"I have to find Yuki and get him out of here; he might be hurt somewhere."_ Tohru thought frantically as her eyes scanned the house for a sign of Yuki.

Akito repeated, "Please come inside."

His voice said more than his words. It was threatening and dangerous.

Tohru complied and entered the house. She knew Yuki was inside.

"Sit."

Tohru kneeled down on the soft tatami floor. She watched as Akito took a seat directly in front of her.

"I'm quite sure you are looking for Yuki here, and I would like to let you know that he will not be returning to Shigure's house."

"What?" Tohru could not comprehend this information. "Why!" Not living with Yuki would be unbearable. She prayed Akito was lying.

"He simply does not wish to be around you anymore." He stated coldly.

"_Could he be telling the truth?"_ Tohru thought._ "Did Yuki misunderstand that kiss?"_

"Can't I just speak with him?" She pleaded. "Kyou's kiss didn't mean anything. I..."

"_Now that is interesting. The cat must have finally confessed his feelings for her and before my Yuki had a chance. And then he saw them kissing."_ Elated, Akito thought, _"I can use this and get Tohru Honda out of Yuki's life forever."_

"I'm sorry Tohru-san, but Yuki does not wish to converse with anyone right now especially you."

"Please Akito!" Tohru exclaimed.

Instantly Akito remembered Yuki, who said the exact same thing less than an hour ago. His wrath flamed up quick. He rose to his feet and stared down at her.

"I have given you a year of Yuki's life and still you ask for more! I can't stand you and your happiness. I will not allow Yuki to be happy without me. He belongs to me and he will do what I command him to do."

"But I need him!" Tohru shouted. It was the first time she had ever said these words aloud. Instantly she realized it was true. She needed Yuki; she could no longer start her day without him.

Akito was eerily quiet. Tohru saw him make a tight fist. He was shaking. A small trail of blood oozed from where he dug his nails into his skin. Suddenly, Akito grabbed her by the hair and began to drag her down the hallway toward a door.

"You NEED him!" Akito shouted mockingly. "You LOVE him! You don't deserve him! You will never be good enough for him you selfish bitch!"

Tohru desperately tried to escape but his grip was like iron.

"You two DESERVE each other!" Akito screamed as he threw her into the room where Yuki lay, silent and motionless.

"Yuki! Are you okay?" Tohru asked as soon as she laid eyes on the man.

Yuki's mind slowly came into focus. He heard the door behind him and froze as he heard Akito yell.

"Yuki will never go against me! You have better say Goodbye now because this will be your last chance!"

Yuki heard the door slam and lock. He felt a hand on his shoulder. Tohru's touch instantly relived his fear. Yuki rolled over to gaze upon the face that so often filled his dreams. He saw the worry in her eyes and felt more loved in that one instant than he had in his entire life.

"Toh- Honda-san." Yuki whispered. "What are you doing here? I thought… you and that cat…"

"Kyou-kun? I don't know what you're talking about?" That familiar confused look appeared on her face.

"Well, I thought that you wouldn't come after me," Yuki started, embarrassed, "Now that you have him for a boyfriend and everything…"

"Ah! I'm sorry Yuki-kun! I tried to explain to you but you ran off so quickly. Kyou-kun kissed me; I didn't know he would do it. It didn't mean anything to me. Yuki-kun…" Tohru did not have the words to express how much he meant to her. She looked at his wounds and placed her hand on his chest. She looked into the endless purple of his eyes and hoped he understood what she was trying to say.

"Then, you aren't in love with Kyou?" he asked hesitantly.

Tohru smiled. There was room for only one love in her life, and all of this helped her realize it. Instead of words, she softly pressed her lips against his. She saw Yuki's eyes grow with surprise. She quickly pulled away, afraid of what it would mean if Yuki pulled away first.

Yuki was speechless. Many times he had dreamed about her lips on his but he never knew how sweet it could really be. His euphoria was uncontrollable.

"I love you... Tohru." It was such a relief to finally say it.

He reached out and touched her face tenderly. He drew it towards him and kissed her more intensely than before. She responded enthusiastically. She passionately grabbed Yuki's side. Immediately he stiffened up. Tohru sensed this change and broke the embrace. With a quick examination she noticed that his hand was covered with blood.


	2. She Will Pay

After he slammed the door and locked it Akito's hands trembled with anger. The look on that girl's face was just too much. Declaring her feelings for Yuki like that. He had snapped. He lost control before but never like this. _"Yuki," _he thought. _"You never cease to bring out the worst in me."_ Akito smiled at the thought of his beloved Yuki, who lay on the other side of this door. He would surely reject this girl. _"He wouldn't betray me for some witch who pretends to be his friend. I am the only one who truly loves him, the only one who really understands."_

Akito sauntered over to the window. Spring had come. He had never enjoyed spring. He longed for winters return. It was the only time he felt close to being happy, when he was gazing out at the pristine fields of snow.

"Snow," he whispered.

Yuki's name meant snow. Akito remembered how Yuki used to be, before SHE came. He was untouched. Yuki was so perfect, so distant, and so cold. He WAS snow, then everything changed. Yuki changed.

It was all her fault. She came in uninvited and trampled all over Akito's field of pure snow. She soiled him, and now she says she needs him. But Akito was not dismayed. He knew that Yuki would make the right choice.

Akito pressed his ear up against the door. He strained to hear even the slightest noise. His ears failing him, he decided to unlock the door and take a peek in. He opened the door a crack to gaze at the worn couple.

She kissed him! He kissed her back! The red hot wrath flashed once again before Akito's eyes. He would not allow it. He was in control of this family. Nothing would happen without his consent. He was ruler of this family. He would make regret the moment she heard of the Sohmas.

"Oh yes. She will pay dearly."

Akito stormed over to the phone. He managed to punch in Hatori's direct line without breaking the phone.

"Hatori," Akito whispered, "I need you over here right now."

"Is there anything wrong? Is it an attack?"

"No, I need you to help me fix things... just like before. And I suggest you get here quickly, I could make things very difficult for a special someone… That would be a real shame; she was getting so used to her new life too."

There was silence. The doctor obviously knew what Akito was talking about and he was obviously trying to find a way out. Hatori always was reluctant to help.

XXXX

"Yuki-kun, you're hurt!"

"Really Tohru, I'm fine. It's not bad."

"Yuki, don't shut me out. Please let me help."

Yuki continued to protest but was quickly silenced by a deep kiss from Tohru. She made him lay down on the mats and she took of his torn shirt. The slashes inflicted by Akito had started bleeding again. Tohru had nothing to stop the bleeding with except Yuki's torn shirt and her cotton sweater. Yuki's shirt was dirty and soaked with his blood which made it useless. Tohru ripped her sweater into useable strips and began to tend to the injured man. Tenderly she tried her best to undo the damage that Akito's wrath had caused.

"Thank you." Yuki said sincerely when she had finished binding him.

Tohru gazed at the beautiful man lying in front of her. She was amazed at how much she loved him, every single thing about him; the way the orange rays of the sunset crept over the high windowsill to play with his hair, the way his eyes never seemed to be the same shade of purple, and the way he loved her. She lay down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. She avoided his chest and made sure she wasn't causing him any more pain. Tohru looked up at his face and saw that he was worried about their current situation.

"_How are we going to get out of here?_" Yuki thought dismally._ "I could transform and crawl under the door, but I couldn't leave Tohru here alone." _

"Tohru?" He asked aloud.

He saw that the stresses of today were too great. She was sleeping peacefully on his shoulder. Yuki smiled and soon found the urge to sleep over powering and drifted off into blessed slumber.

Yuki drifted in and out of dreams. Gone were the nightmares that had plagued him since childhood. Instead, a life without Akito floated through his mind.

"_Yuki! It's time for supper." A familiar voice called from inside his house. _

_He went into the house and sat down at the table. A small girl sat down behind him and grabbed his hand. _

"_Hello Kyoko. Have you been cooking with Mommy today?" _

"_We made leeks for Daddy." Kyoko said gleefully._

_This was the perfect life. No curse, no Akito, nothing troubling at all, but most importantly it had her. _

"_She wanted to make your favorite for you." Tohru said as she entered the room with a plateful of food. "Yuki? Yuki?"_

_The room around him started to blur. Everything was disintegrating. The only thing that remained was her voice, screaming his name. _

Yuki came out of sleep. Hatori's faced flashed before his eyes. He started to struggle. The pain came back swiftly. Terror filled him. Helplessness overwhelmed him. A needle appeared in Hatori's hand. The small pinch came and soon everything was darkness.

XXXX

Tohru awoke in a strange room. She had been sleeping in a cushioned chair. She took in her surroundings. The room looked like a doctor's office. "_Is this where Hatori works?_" She asked herself.

"Good evening." Akito's voice filled the room. "Now, we need to finish our talk."

Tohru searched desperately for a way out of this situation. There was no other escape except the door that Akito was standing in.

"I am terribly sorry, but I can no longer allow you to live at Shigure's house. You have caused too many problems for the Sohmas there. If you leave quietly I will consider leaving you with your memories."

"NO! Akito, I can't leave them, they need me!" Tohru cried out in despair. "Akito, you can't send me away!"

"I see there is no other way to get you out of my life. Hatori!"

The downcast doctor entered the room. He reluctantly looked over at the girl.

"Akito, is there any other way?" He asked hesitantly.

"Hatori, are you going to defy me also? Well if you really don't want to erase her memories, we could always kill her." Akito replied, emotionless.

"No! Please don't. I'll do it, just don't hurt her." He turned to Tohru. "I am deeply sorry, but there is no other way."

Hatori placed his hand over her face.

A small cry escaped Tohru's lips. She saw a small light which grew brighter and brighter until it consumed her. She slumped over in the chair after Hatori took him hand away.

"So, what do we do now?" Hatori asked as he stood over the unconscious Tohru Honda.

"I don't care; put her back where you found her." The distance Akito put between him and the situation at hand was monumental. He acted as if he was deciding on something as frivolous as what program to watch.

"Akito, she just lost the last year of her life; people are going to notice something."

"It's none of my concern. I am happy, as long as I never have to see that ugly face ever again." He said nonchalantly over his shoulder as he walked out the door.

Hatori was left alone with the girl, _"What am I supposed to do with her."_ He thought frantically, _"I've never erased so much before; I hope there aren't any side effects."_

XXXX

Tohru Honda woke up on Monday morning bright and early, just like always.

"Good morning Mom." She said groggily, it felt like she had been asleep forever.

Tohru rolled over in her sleeping bag to look at the picture. Somehow, the tent looked different than before. It looked brand new, and all of her things were in the wrong places. _"Did I move around in my sleep?"_ She thought. _"But… that doesn't explain why the tent is different."_

Tohru looked around for her clock. There's no time to wonder about things like that when she should be concentrating on school. After rummaging through her clothes she discovered the missing timepiece.

"IS THAT THE TIME! I'M LATE!"

A frantic Tohru threw on her school uniform and ran to school; in her haste she didn't even notice the new pretty yellow ribbons for her hair. She was so desperate to make it on time she got herself lost. By what appeared to be pure luck, she came upon a little house. It looked so familiar; it was like she had been there before. She decided to take a little breather while she looked at the cozy home.

"Ah! I don't have time to be dawdling. I'm going to be late! But... I'm not sure which way to go…"

Tohru debated for a brief moment and finally decided not to bother anyone; she could always follow the driveway to the street and make her way from there.

"Tohru?"

She was startled to hear someone call her so informally. She turned to see the strangest look on Prince Yuki's face. _"Ah! Prince Yuki Sohma! I'm at his house? Why does this all feel so familiar?"_

"Sohma-san, I-I-I'm sorry to have troubled you." She was blushing ferociously. _"Why would Sohma-san call me like that?"_ She thought.

"Damn rat! What are you yelling about?" A young man poked his head out of the door. He had the strangest look. His eyes were blood red. And his hair was the same shade of orange as Tohru's moms. "What? It's you!" He said when he saw the confused girl standing in the yard.

_"Soy sauce, and-"_

_"I love you!"_

_"Pickles"_

A memory flashed in Tohru's mind. Was it a memory? How could it be if she had never met him? This was too much for Tohru's mind to compute, she bade them a hasty farewell and continued running to school, trying to push the thought of her kissing that stranger out of her head as she hurried away.

XXXX

well I thought I should explain some Japanese honorifics.

sama is about the equivalent to Lord or Lady. (I debated whether or not to have ppl use this for Akito)

san is about the equivalent to Mr. or Ms. (When Yuki call Tohru Honda-san, he isn't being distant he is just being very polite.) –san is usually not used when you are talking about yourself or a member of your close family.

chan/-kun is usually for younger children. When –chan is used it is closer to sweetheart and is used mostly for girls. –kun is usually used for males and it is rare that you hear guy friends use it for each other.

When people don't use an honorific it is very informal and is only used between people who are extremely close.

I hope this was helpful. I'm not pretending to know all about the language, I've only been studying for a while so if any of this is inaccurate I apologize.


	3. She Doesnt Remember

"What the Hell! Why didn't you try to stop her?" Kyou Sohma yelled after he watched her run out of their yard.

"You stupid cat. Don't you remember what Hatori said?" Yuki replied angrily.

"Dammit." Kyou said, thinking back. "You know, this whole situation is your fault! And now we can't even try and get her to remember because it could 'seriously damage her psyche.'"

"Don't you think I KNOW that? Do you think I wanted her to leave? I always knew you were stupid but I didn't know you were this moronic."

Kyou completely lost whatever composure he had retained and put all the frustration and rage from the situation into one punch. Naturally he had no chance of landing one on the agile youth but it had never stopped him from trying before. He felt the wind rushing past his fist and was taken aback when he felt it contact with soft flesh.

"What?" Kyou asked in surprise.

He had actually punched Yuki in the stomach. He looked at him lying in the dirt, desolate and weak. Was this the same Yuki who could take him down in under five minutes? The same Yuki who could retaliate with a swift kick to the head if he wanted? Was Kyou actually getting stronger than him? The look on Yuki's face gave him all the answer he needed.

"Damn Rat! You LET me punch you? What the Hell is that going to accomplish?"

There was no reply; only fits of coughing and a despondent glance.

"Pain is not going to bring her back! What is wrong with you! I miss her too but Akito-"

"I know," Yuki coughed weakly. "Just go to school, I'll catch up."

"Fine, whatever." Kyou said over his shoulder as he walked out of Yuki's sight.

The boy got to his feet and dusted off. _"That stupid cat." _He thought drearily. _"He complains to me about Tohru's departure. He has no idea what its like."_

XXXX

_The room slowly came into focus for Yuki as he slowly regained consciousness. It took him a moment to remember what had happened. Suddenly recalling the events that had transpired before, he tried to get up and look for Tohru but his limbs would not respond. The needle that Hatori gave him must not have completely worn off. "_Damn that Hatori!_" Yuki's thoughts were clouded, partly from the drug but mostly from fear for Tohru._

_A long shadow appeared in the doorway. _

"_Yuki, I know you are conscious, and I'm sure you are wondering where our young Honda-san is." Akito was clearly amused._

"_What did you do to her?" Yuki said weakly; still unable to move much more than his mouth. _

"_What always must be done to protect this family? She will not be pestering this family anymore."_

"_NO! Akito, why? She did no harm. She only wanted to help us." The disbelieving youth was able to lift his head for a few seconds. _

_Cold, mocking laughter greeted his anger. "Yuki, you know she was poison for us. She had already changed you so much. I could not allow her to continue."_

_Tears appeared at the edges of Yuki's eyes. "_How could he do this to me? Does he really loathe me with his whole being?_"_ _He thought as the tears broke free and streamed over his face._

"_Oh I see I have upset you." Akito strolled over to where Yuki lay. He touched Yuki's tears and brought his hand to his mouth to lick away the salt water. He put his hand underneath Yuki's chin and turned his face toward him so he could look in to his watering eyes. "I don't want to see any of that. If I do, I will have to eliminate the problem permanently."_

_Akito placed a soft kiss on Yuki's mouth and left._

XXXX

Tohru Honda arrived at school five minutes before the bell rang. Her chocolate hair was mussed and her face was shiny from sweat. She took a quick stop in the girls' bathroom to freshen up and headed to class with out a moment to spare. She was her best friends Hana and Uo waiting outside class for her.

"Hey Tohru-chan, where are your personal escorts today?"

"Escorts? What are you talking about?" Today, there was a reason for the bewildered look on Tohru's face; she had no idea what Uo was talking about.

"What's wrong with you Tohru-chan? I'm talking about Soh-"

"Arisa-chan, don't you think we should be getting to class?" Saki Hanajima interrupted.

"Uhh, yeah. C'mon Tohru," The blonde girl said as she grabbed her friend's arm to bring her out of her daze.

"_That was weird. Was she pretending to not know what I was talking about?" _Arisa Uotani thought in class. _"I can't see Tohru doing something like that? And besides, she really looked like she didn't know what I was talking about."_

"...And the velocity multiplied by the cosine of the launch angle gives us the horizontal velocity which remains constant. Are there any questions?" The teacher's monotone voice droned out.

After the bell dismissed the eager students Arisa approached her friend.

"Whoa, when did physics get so hard? I don't remember any of this stuff." Tohru said.

"Hey Tohru, do you work tonight or are you going home with Yu-"

"Arisa-chan," Saki interrupted, "You know Tohru always works. Don't let us make you late Tohru-chan."

"Ah, yes. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye." Tohru turned and almost walked right into the strange boy from this morning. Luckily he stepped aside in time so she only brushed his arm. "Ah! Please excuse me!"

The orange haired boy said nothing as he moved over to let her pass.

"What was that about?" a very puzzled Uo asked after her friend turned the corner.

Hanajima looked over at Kyou and stated, "She doesn't remember."

XXXX

Yuki stood outside the school after the bell rang, hoping to catch a glimpse of the girl who had captured his heart. Patiently he waited, the hot sun doing nothing to warm the icy feeling in the bottom of his stomach, and then at last she walked by. There she was; the flawless embodiment of all things good in Yuki's life. Close enough to reach out and touch, to hold, if only he could.

Would this always be enough for him? Merely watching from the sidelines of her life? How would he be able to make himself not love her? She accepted the curse once, why wouldn't she be able to accept it a second time? Surely he could win her love again like he did before. But... there was always Akito; he was determined to make Yuki's life miserable.

"_Dammit,"_ Yuki thought, _"I can't even grieve because of him and what he you do to Tohru. Why am I so special to him, he never treated any of the other zodiac like me."_

He watched her leave the school yard, her chocolate tresses flowing behind her. Despondently, he started home. Step after step brought him closer to what was once the happiest place in his life. Now, it was only a place of painful memories. When he stepped out of the genkan and into the dining room, he saw Hatori sitting at the table.

Anger flamed in Yuki. "Dammit Hatori!" Yuki said, flinching when he realized who he sounded like. "How dare you come here after what you did?"

"I don't blame you for hating me, Yuki, but I need to check how you are healing. And remind you what could happen to her if you try to make her regain what she lost." Hatori said.

"I know about that! It's bad enough that she can't live here anymore, but you won't even let me talk to her!"

"You know that it is best for her, or are you too selfish to care!" Hatori flared back, but realizing what he had just said he followed up with, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

Yuki was shocked to see the despair in the doctor's face. He was usually so… sterile, was the word that came to Yuki's mind. Just like one of the steely cold instruments in his doctor's bag, Hatori never really showed anything other than emotionless sterility. Even after Kana…. Yuki's rage faltered when he saw the guilt there and followed the doctor's orders and removed his shirt.

Immediately, the doctor started his job and began inspecting the wounds that were finally starting to close.

"_It's only been three days,"_ Yuki thought, _"it feels like three years."_

He breathed in sharply after a jolt of pain brought him out of his thoughts.

"Hatori?"

"Yes, Yuki?" He replied, "Oh wait, let me guess, you want to know why I followed Akito's orders and erased Honda-san's memories of you. Am I right?"

Yuki tried to control the anger that flared up but his voice still came out harsh, "What were you thinking?"

Hatori sighed, "Ignoring the fact that it was Akito's orders, and you know what he could do if I refused; he threatened to harm Honda-san. And you of all people must know a little about my situation. You know I wouldn't want to harm Honda-san or cause you any pain, Yuki, but Akito…"

Hearing these words somehow calmed Yuki and soothed his anger. He always knew that Hatori never liked his job, but now he knew the reason-

"And also…" Hatori continued, "He threatened Kana."

XXXX

"She doesn't remember."

"Hana-chan, what are you talking about?" Arisa asked.

"Her electric signals are different. But of course you already knew that," The electric girl said, not to Arisa; Hana's eyes refused to leave the young man with orange hair and red eyes.

"What the Hell would you know about it!" Kyou shouted, sparking the interest of many around them.

"More than you realize."

"Dammit! Stop talking like some fucking psychic!"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Uotani yelled, angered at being out of the loop.

"Just leave me the Hell alone!" Kyou yelled over his shoulder as he ran down the hallway.

Arisa turned to Saki, "Just what was going on back there?"

"I think it would be best if you didn't talk to Tohru about living with Sohma-kun for a while," She replied, "At least not until after I've spoken to her first."

"Honda-san lives with Prince Yuki?"

Arisa and Hana turned to see the president of the Prince Yuki fan club, Motoko Minagawa.

"What? Is there something wrong with that?" Arisa loomed over the now terrified redhead.

"If you try and harm Honda-chan in any way, you will be (BEEP) with electric shocks." Hana's eyes glowed with a strange light.

"I….I-I'm not afraid of you!" Motoko shouted as she fled from then in terror.

"You don't think she would actually do anything about it, do you Saki-chan?" Arisa asked after the dust had cleared.

Saki turned and walked toward the school's exit.

"Saki-chan! Where are you going?"

"Remember what I said. You shouldn't talk to Tohru-chan for a while. I need to talk to her first." She said over her shoulder as she walked out the door.

"Why not!" Arisa asked angrily, moving to follow her.

"Ah! Uotani-chan, I need to talk to you about your unexcused absences last week," Her homeroom teacher did not seem pleased.

"Umm… Yes, Kameyama-sensei. Saki-chan, wait for…." She turned to ask Hanajima to stay but she had already left in the direction of Sohma house.

XXXX

Motoko ran. She was still unsure about what she should do about the Honda situation. She knew she could not allow her to continue to contaminate her Prince, but there was the probability that Uotani and Sakijima would come after her.

"_I don't care what happens to me... I need to save Yuki from that Witch!" _She thought to herself.

She took a sharp turn and headed in the direction of Sohma house. Despite the fanclub rules, which she wrote herself, she had often visited it. Yuki had never known of course, she had to be content with simply gazing on the house. _"But not this time."_

XXXX

Tohru was walking "home" from school when she found herself at the same house from this morning.

"_Prince Yuki's _house." She thought when she saw it. _"Why did I come here? It's like I'm drawn to it." _

It was so weird, ever since this morning it felt… not quite right to her. Everything seemed to have changed overnight. It didn't even seem like she was in the same grade as yesterday. And these… daydreams. At least she thought they were daydreams. Little scenarios danced in her head, they were set off by the strangest things… like leeks, and martial arts. In class the teacher mentioned something about Hitler's secret base during World War II and instantly she had an image of her and Sohma-san in a garden.

"What is wrong with me?" The girl said aloud.

"How much time do you have, Witch?"


	4. Ill Catch You

Kyou arrived home from the back way a little after Hatori had finished replacing Yuki's bandages.

"You Damn Rat! Did you say anything to that Damn Psychic about the zodiac?"

"Why would I go and do something like that, Stupid Cat?" Yuki retaliated, still angry about this morning.

"Well, somehow she knows about the zodiac, and I trust- trusted Tohru a lot more than I trust you."

A sudden cry from outside the house interrupted their squabble. The boy's looked at each other, recognizing the voice. How could they not, it was the voice that brought them so much hope the past year. To hear that same voice cry out in terror struck a chord in each of their hearts.

At the same time, both young men and the doctor ran for the door. The agile and swift Yuki arrived at the source of the yells first.

"Prince Yuki is MINE! I won't let you have him!" The deranged Motoko yelled as she dragged Tohru to the earth by her hair.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I swear!" The terrified girl answered, nearly in tears from fear and pain.

"LIAR-"

"Senpai, what are you doing!" Yuki yelled.

"Yuki!" Motoko cried in delight and ran to pull her Prince into a tight embrace.

"No! Don't!" The men behind him shouted when they saw what was about to happen.

POOF

A cloud of colourful smoke engulfed the two of them. Thinking quickly, Kyou ran to the redhead and covered her eyes while Hatori placed the small grey rat in his pocket.

"Get the Hell away from our house you crazy stalker!" Kyou yelled, pushing her away from the pile of clothes and bandages that Yuki had been wearing only a few moments ago.

Motoko was fraught. She had actually embraced the Prince. It was beyond her comprehension, he had been in her arms... but for so short a time. What had happened anyway? One second she was in heaven; a tight embrace with her prince, and the next... it was like he had evaporated and she was being pushed away by his cousin and there was so mush smoke. "You can't talk to me like that! Where's Yuki? I need-"

"Did you not hear him Minagawa-san? I believe it would be in your best interests to comply."

Every hair on Motoko's body stood straight up when she heard that voice. The air was thick with electrical energy. A street light in front of her came on, and it wasn't even dark out. It began flickering but eventually it grew brighter and brighter until it burst. The sudden noise pulled a small shriek from the redhead. She watched as the broken glass fell around the girl. To a stranger, she looked quite normal, if you ignored the cloak. Just another school girl, quite pretty actually, with her large purple eyes, not unlike the Prince's and her long wavy dark hair free from its usual braid. But, unfortunately for Motoko, she wasn't a stranger. She knew her and what she was capable of.

"Well?" Hanajima asked.

Motoko was speechless. She was torn between her devotion to her beloved prince and saving her hide. She glanced around to see if her prince was there to witness her cowardice. He was no where to be seen, so she turned and ran like the devil himself was chasing her.

"That was close." Yuki said from the pocket of Hatori's coat.

"A-a m-mouse!" Tohru said, "It talked…"

The slow trickle of memories that had been flowing since this morning had become a flash flood. Scenes from the past year came rushing into her mind.

"_Thanks for such a boring time, it was a blast!"_

"_Sissy!"_

"_I'M SO SORRY!"_

"_I came in through the door of course!"_

"_Yuki's just very special to me."_

"_I want to believe that there's no such thing as a memory that's okay to forget..."_

"_When snow melts, what does it become?"_

"_My Love!"_

"_You don't have to worry about stuff like that when you're with me"_

"_High school girls, high school girls"_

A scene played in her head. A memory that should have been treasured by her forever but someone stole it.

"_I love you... Tohru."_

That sweet memory slowly turned into sharpness as her mind tried to process what it was remembering. White hot pain caused her to cry out and brought her to her knees. Moments later, it grew too much for her to take and she lost consciousness. Kyou rushed to her side. "What's happening to her?" He asked the doctor.

"She's remembering." Saki answered before he could reply.

"How did-" Hatori's question was interrupted by a desperate voice from his pocket.

"Why don't you help her? Stop standing there and DO something!" The mouse was terrified.

Careful not to transform, Kyou picked Tohru up. "Let's get her into the house."

"That would be for the best." Saki stated.

POOF

That cloud of smoke appeared again and when it cleared there stood a naked young man and very big hole in Hatori's coat pocket. Saki blushed slightly and averted her eyes as Yuki got dressed. When he was finished the small group headed into the house. Kyou carried Tohru into her old room. He placed her on her bed and stepped back to watch the doctor go to work.

"You know you can't do anything for her now," Saki said to Hatori.

"She's right. It's up to Tohru now."

The doctor turned to Yuki and Kyou.

"Yuki, Kyou," Hatori's face looked grim, "Tohru's memories are retuning."

"That's great!" Kyou said.

"Stupid cat, this is really dangerous for Honda-san." Yuki retorted.

"Yuki is right; I explained it to you before. The rush of memories could seriously damage her psyche. It's like over a year of living has suddenly rushed into her mind, it will be a lot for her to take in and if she can't…"

Saki completed his thoughts, "Her personality will be severely altered, and she will forget about you, permanently."

"_So it's now or never_," Yuki thought, looking at his love, _"This is my last chance to get Tohru back. Please, I know you can get through this."_

Sweat beaded on her forehead. All throughout the evening, Yuki watched over her, occasionally aided by his three companions and Shigure once he arrived home.

"My precious flower has returned to us!" He sang when he heard Tohru was back.

Late that night Saki walked into Tohru's room. Tohru was looking less feverish she had been before. She saw Tohru's prince asleep near the bed. He hadn't left this room for more than five minutes all day. "Would anyone ever care for me like that?" The psychic asked herself.

A floorboard squeaked behind her. Saki turned to see a pair of red eyes, filled with pain, looking at her.

"She will be ok, right?" Kyou asked timidly.

"Tohru has always been strong. I know she'll pull through." Saki said with conviction.

"Is this the psychic talking?" He replied, smirking.

She looked into his eyes. His waves were reading something strange. It must have been for Tohru. _"It's really a pity,"_ The girl thought, _"She doesn't feel like that for Kyou, not like she does for-" _

"What is it?" Kyou inquired, interrupting Saki's thoughts.

She gazed at Yuki's sleeping form. "Does it hurt?"

"What?" Kyou was puzzled.

"Knowing that she doesn't care for you like she cares for Sohma-kun," She said bluntly.

Kyou was surprisingly speechless. He looked away.

Saki regretted those words, and wished she could take them back. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to-"

"No, it's not like that," he said with a small laugh. He remembered the pickle incident in the kitchen. "I… I used to think I loved her, romantically. But…"

"_But what?"_ She thought.

"But, it just felt… wrong. She's like a sister to me. I don't think of her like that anymore. And besides…" He trailed off as he gazed into the violet seas that were Saki's eyes.

A soft voice came from the bedroom, interrupting the moment between the two. Tohru had started to talk in her sleep. It was like she was having a conversation with someone.

"Is there anything wrong?" Kyou asked.

"No, this is a good sign. She's literally reliving the last year of her life. Well, at least after she learnt of the curse."

"Hey, how DID you find out about the curse anyway?"

"You and your family give off the exact same waves as the animals you become. I'm not stupid Kyou, although I was not completely sure about it until this afternoon."

"How long have you suspected?" The carrot topped youth asked.

"For as long as I've known Yuki-kun."

Kyou sighed, a little angry at himself for not noticing all of this. He should have seen this coming; she _was _supposed to be psychic after all. She was so strange, a mystery. Kyou liked mysteries…

"I'm… going on the roof…"

"Oh, I see-" Saki started.

"Do you wanna come? It's got a really great view." Kyou proposed.

"What?" Saki was confused. What exactly was he asking? She had been tricked by boys before; ones who wanted to make her feel like she was less than human. But Kyou's waves didn't read anything strange. He honestly wanted to be around her. It was a first for Saki, most people were usually afraid of her.

"Well, if you don't want to-"

"Oh, no!" She said, afraid he would change his mind. "I'm just, a little afraid of heights…"

Kyou was amused and a little shocked at the confession from the girl. Someone like her being afraid of something was unusual, and kind of cute. Kyou offered his hand and said with a smile, "Don't worry; I'll catch you if you fall."

Hearing him say that was actually really comforting. With a slight hesitation she grabbed his outstretched hand.


	5. Fallen God

Later that night, Yuki awoke to the sound of voices from the roof. _"Just like that Baka Neko,"_ Yuki thought. _"Flirting with Tohru's best friend while she is lying here… Although, it seems she has past the worst of it."_

"Sohma-kun, I love strawberries." Tohru murmured. Yuki smiled, he remembered the morning she said that. It was right after she had met Kagura. They had been through so much together over the past year; it was like she had somehow become a part of him, the better part.

Yuki gazed fondly at the unconscious girl. Her brow was no longer feverish and, despite the sleep-talking, she was resting quite peacefully. It seemed like everything was going to be alright after all. He heard the door slide close downstairs. _"Maybe it's one of Shigure's-"_

"Yuki! I've come to check up on you!" That voice! It couldn't be!

Yuki shot up from the chair and ran to the doorway, trembling all the way. Akito Sohma stood in the genkan, shoes already removed, smiling up at him with that icy glint in his eyes.

"Wh-What are you doing here?" Yuki said, voice shaking.

Akito's evil grin widened. "Darling Yuki, am I not allowed to check up on my favorite cousin? I was worried something dreadful had happened when Hatori did not return." His voice was soft, so he did not wake up the other Sohmas in the household. "Well? Will you not invite me in?"

Yuki's brain refused to function, like it usually did when Akito was around. He tried to answer him, but coherent words would not pass his lips.

"Well, that's not exactly what I was expecting," Akito walked toward the stairs. As he climbed up them, he looked straight into Yuki's eyes. "But I suppose it will have to do."

Yuki's brain was ripped from its blissful absence when he watched Akito ascend those stairs. _"What will happen when he sees Tohru?" _He thought frantically as Akito approached him. Yuki reached to close the door but it was too late, Akito would think something was odd. He could not let him go into that room. _"The only thing I can do is try to get him downstairs..." _

Luckily, Akito's eyes would not leave Yuki's. The black orbs swallowed Yuki up, not allowing him to look away. Akito placed a hand on his face. His flesh crawled at the touch but he was unable to resist.

"You are so perfect, Yuki." Akito said seductively. Now that Tohru was gone, there was no reason for him to hold back. He moved his hand to Yuki's chin and pulled it toward him. Yuki's eyes grew with fear. This pleased the elder Sohma immensely. He loved the look of terror on Yuki's face. Roughly, he forced a kiss on the boy. Yuki's resistance was pathetically weak, _"What else would it be? Yuki would never go against me." _Akito thought as he enjoyed the feeling of Yuki's lips against his. His tongue crept into Yuki's mouth as his hand pulled the embrace tighter.

A soft voice called from the room Yuki had came out of. It was a woman's voice! Akito roughly pushed the youth out of his way and stormed into the bedroom.

"THAT WOMAN!" He said when he saw Tohru lying there. He fumed, no longer caring if anyone heard him. "Why the HELL is she here?"

He started to walk toward the unconscious girl when a hard blow hit him in the back of the head.

Yuki had a murderous look in his eyes. It was something Akito had never seen in them before. Yuki's voice came out harsh, without a trace of fear. "If you lay on hand on Honda-san, I swear to God-"

Lightning fast Akito composed himself from the shock and interrupted Yuki's threat. "What will you do, Yuki? I AM your god!" Akito pushed Yuki out of the room and up against the wall in the adjacent hallway. "How dare you speak to me like that! I own you! You belong to me!" Akito was slapping him now, hard and relentless. "You just don't learn your lessons do you! No wonder your mother didn't want you! No wonder your brother abandoned you! No wonder that worthless girl forgot you so easily!" Akito raised his hand to deliver another slap but was stopped. Yuki had grabbed his wrist less than an inch away from his face.

"Don't talk about things you don't understand." Yuki said deathly calm. He applied pressure to Akito's wrist. "You think you know everything. You think you can treat everyone like dirt and we'll continue to worship you unconditionally!" He squeezed harder, causing Akito to wince in pain. Akito tried to escape, clawing with at Yuki with his other hand, but Yuki's grip was viselike.

Akito, desperate to get away from the enraged rat, summoned the last of his calm and whispered harshly, "When I am through with you, that bitch won't want to look at your 'pretty' face anymore. Then I'll take her for myself."

The images Akito's words conjured were too much for Yuki to take. His grip loosened. Akito saw his chance and took it. A blur of cloth and flesh flashed before Yuki's eyes and before he knew it Akito's hands were around his throat. Oxygen was no longer making its way to Yuki's lungs. Red flashed before his eyes. A strangled cry for help barely passed his lips as his arms clawed uselessly at his attacker. Words unscrambled to form briefs thoughts. They were screaming at him, telling him to escape in anyway possible.

"Akito!"

The god turned to see who was interrupting his heart to heart with Yuki. At the bottom of the stairs stood a frightened looking Kyou accompanied by a slightly less calm Saki. Seeing an opportunity, Yuki struck with fear strengthened arms. With a harsh shove, Akito plummeted down the steep stairway, looking into Yuki's eyes the whole way down.

Kyou pulled Saki away to avoid the falling god. Akito landed hard; there was a sickening thud and crimson liquid oozed from his forehead.

"What have I done?" Yuki asked, shocked when he saw Akito's motionless form.

The brave brunette stepped forward and checked for a pulse. She held he fingers against Akito's neck and counted out the seconds. She looked up at Yuki and sadly shook her head, "You killed him Yuki..."

Tohru's voice called from the room again coherent and alert. "Yuki...?"

XXXX

Alright, I've had a couple of people ask for an epilogue, I am planning on wirting a sequel eventually but not right away but if you guys REALLY want one then i shall write one if i get enough requests. But HURRAH! my first fanfic is finished! WOOT! a big thanks to all you guys who reviewed you guys are awesome. Thanks for taking the time to tell me what you think it really means alot to me. Ali out


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